B3 COFFEE OTARU — Restaurant in Otaru

Entered the Cafe and the foreign guy, who I assume owns it gave off bad vibes off the bat. My wife left her sunglass case on the countertop upon entering and the owner called her attention, which we were grateful for but then made a snide comment that we should try to leave all our stuff in one place. As if we would have left the case intentionally. Rude. Tsk. My wife walked out. Too bad as the coffee was good.

Edited after the owners poor response:

It seems like you can't take simple critisicm. We were shouted at for a simple mistake 2 minutes after entering the establishment. Nothing was polite about the way you spoke to us as you spoke to us as if we made some personal attack against you or your shop. And take note, there were no other customers bothered since there was no one else there. Mistakenly leaving a small item does not equate to not wanting or attempting to sit together. What in the world are you talking about? Why would we want to sit separate?

Yes, we were offended by a shop owner berating a customer over a simple mistake. It seems YOU have a lot to learn about Japanese norms and culture of respect. You could have politely spoken to us yet you used a disrespectful and derogatory tone. For that, its our right to give an honest and 1 star review. Whether you take that as spite or a learning experience, that's up to you.

I left quickly because my wife was understandably upset. What you don't know is my companions wished to leave due to your attitude and we were discussing it. I insisted my companions stay since we had a pregnant woman in our group who needed to rest after walking under the sun. Had that not been the case, we would have left immediately. You chatted with my companions for a while, but we have courtesy and respect, unlike yourself. Since you started chatting them up, it would be disrespectful not to respond in kind.

Please do not excuse your disrespectful attitude by gaslighting your customers that they did not follow some Japanese social norm. I've been visiting Japan for a long time and this is the first time I've gotten this attitude from the owner of an establishment. And unsurprisingly, he's not Japanese.

My assumption that a "foreign" guy was the owner is correct. No where did I say the Japanese lady was not an owner, I already ascertained it was family owned while I was there. By the way, the Japanese lady owner was very polite unlike the foreign one.

My objective for the review was to let you know how you can improve. Our group all said had your disposition been better at the very beginning of our interaction, everything would have been great. But by the looks of it, it seems like you think you're always right. Sometimes good coffee is ruined by bad coffees shops. No worries, we had a great time at our next Cafe so it was all...

B3 is my 2nd favorite place to get coffee in Hokkaido. Here's why.

First of all, as a mom & pop shop (literally, but the 3rd Black of B3 is their daughter) it is very much customer-focused...whoever you are, you get a big welcome when you arrive, and it's the kind of place where they quickly get to know your name and when time permits, you can have a great chat about all kinds of topics--from local information, ski areas, the best places to eat, world new, politics---whatever your cup of tea. Well, cup of coffee...and when it comes to coffee, no one is more knowledgeable and demanding than the Blacks, Not least of all as representatives of coffee-crazy Australia. Whether it's the origin, roast, grind, temperature, etc. that go into a great cup, they know and are happy to explain their stuff. So, if you don't know what a flat white, a piccolo or magic are, you can learn the processes, and even better, the different tastes. All of which is a bit eye-opening for an American, where cheap coffee may have been simmering for hours or expensive coffee is ultra bitter and served with an excess of snarkiness. In contrast, B3 is full-on friendly and has far and away the best coffee in Otaru.

Which begs the question, why not my #1 coffee joint? That's simple...location. While they have a convenient spot replete with parking in town, I usually prefer making a quick cup in my own house on one of Otaru's hills, and though my little machine can't even approach what they offer, it's here and doable every day. B3 I save as a nice luxury for myself when I have time for a chat...

B3 Coffee is the kind of café you stumble upon by chance and remember long after your trip. It’s a true reflection of its owners — an Australian husband and Japanese wife — blending Japanese hospitality with Australian humour and effortless conversation. The result is a space filled with genuine warmth and care.

The coffee was a welcome relief after days of oversized milky cups — balanced, thoughtful, and distinctly Australian in style. Food was simple, homely, and made with heart.

What was meant to be a quick coffee stop turned into an hour of easy conversation. We shared our struggles finding dinner options for my elderly parents, and they generously gave us a list of local favourites. It was our first time to Otaru, and they shared videos on their projector about Otaru in winter.

Later that evening, as we happened to pass by again, the wife greeted us warmly on the street and helped guide us to a restaurant — which ended up being the best meal of our trip.

Travel, at its best, is about cultural exchange and human connection. Our experience at B3 Coffee was one of those rare, indelible moments. Thank you both for the kindness, laughter, and memories —...